A Flower Child In King Peter's Court
by For You Blue
Summary: Inspired by Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. A Beatle-mad hippie from 1969 finds themselves transported to Narnia during its Golden Age under the reign of the Pevensies.
1. Counfounding Thing That

**A Flower child in King Peter's Court**.

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**Summary**:

Inspired by Mark Twain's _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, _a Beatle-mad young woman from 1969 finds herself transported to Narnia during its Golden Age.

Believing the whole thing be a hallucination, possibly drug induced, (including the "really, really big talking lion," who dropped her there in the first place,) Aida carries on as if the whole land of Narnia is her personal dreamscape.

She finds herself turning the whole kingdom, and the court of Cair Paravel, on its head with her more modern ways and ideals, much to the annoyance of the solemn High King Peter and the amusement of his brother King Edmund; the puzzlement to their eldest sister Queen Susan and the very charmed Queen Lucy, the youngest of the monarchs.

As Aida comes to realise Narnia is much more than a dream or hallucination, her curiosity grows about the human rulers from "Spare-Oom," who have only vague memories of their time on Earth.

King Peter in particular seems more alarmed then welcoming of Aida when she appears in his court; and seems adamant about quickly finding a way for the strange young woman to depart Narnia.

Please enjoy, and let me know what you thought.

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**Disclaimer**: I did not create this wonderful world and its book series, it is all thanks to C.S Lewis, thank-you Mr Lewis for many years of enjoyment.

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**Rating**: Teen to Mature.

A/N: There are some drug culture references, but as it's the late sixties the main character resides in, it would be odd not to have her smoking or involved with at least Marijuana.

(I, personally don't condone, or partake, in smoking or drug use. But it useless to pretend it never happened.)

Nothing, apart from cigarettes, are referenced in such detail, but if you are offended, or under the age of 13, I ask you to please, don't read any further.

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**_Main Character list_**:

**Earthlings****:**

**Aida Nadia ****Femke** (Our protagonist. Born of a farming family in Australia, and currently being a child of the earth [a hippie, a flower-child,] in late-sixties England. She just wants to be the first to get her hands on the next Beatles album when it's released.)

**Simon P.E ****Halberd** (English born boyfriend of Aida, and owner of a lime-green combi van.)

**Malcolm (Mal) Samir Femke** (Brother to Aida, two years older and no wiser.)

**Margery** **(Dove) Eirena **(American born girlfriend of Mal, with enviously straight blonde hair.)

Referenced but never seen Earthlings:

**Mrs Femke** (Aida and Mal's domineering mother of Arabic decent, who writes numerous letters begging for her two youngest children to rush home immediately. Her name might be Samira, then again it might be "overbearing- nightmare-of-a-matriarch" as Aida references to her frequently.)

**Mr Femke** (A laid back, quietly spoken cattle farmer of German decent, who has a soft spot for his children and nerves of steel to keep up with his wife. Aida writes to him frequently and her Father, in return, sends her parcels containing a jar of Vegemite and a list of all the new calves in his herd.)

**Stephen Amani Femke** (Aida and Mal's older brother, named for their father. The good one. The one who got married at twenty-one, has two children and his own successful door-to-door grain salesman business. He gave Malcolm a briefcase for his eighteenth; and on Aida's eighteenth she received a desk calculator. Thankfully, he doesn't actually appear in this story.)

**Narnians**:

**Aslan (**GreatLion in appearance and a bringer of the true magic. Son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, Lord of Cair Paravel, Emperor of the Lone Islands, High King over all high Kings, and Creator and Lord of all Narnia. He is kingly, just, beautiful and gentle. Aslan comes and goes as he pleases throughout the lands of Narnia, and this world in his true form, for he's not a _tame_ lion after all.)

**King Peter the Magnificent. High King of Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands, Lord of Cair Paravel, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Lion,** (there should be a few more names in there I think...Wolfsbane? Yes, but no killing of wolves in this story so we can leave that one out.) As his name states, Peter is High King of Narnia and eldest of the Pevensie children from Earth who wondered into Narnia twelve years earlier. He, like his siblings, has forgotten this part, but you can hardly blame them. They've had a lot to accomplish in their time in Narnia..)

**Queen Susan the Gentle, of the Radiant Southern Sun** (A famed beauty and a famed archer. Susan is two years younger than her brother Peter and the eldest of the Pevensie girls. She is pursued by many suitors, but remains devoted to her country of the North and her family.)

**King Edmund the Just, Duke of Lantern Waste**, **Count of the Western March**, **and** **Knight of the Noble Order of the Table**. (The third of the Pevensie children, Edmund has endured many trials since he arrived in Narnia, but Aslan and his siblings love have brought him peace and wisdom, leading to him being a great Judge; and a much milder King then his more temperamental brother.)

**Queen Lucy the Valiant, of the Glittering Eastern Sea **(Beloved of Aslan and the youngest of the Pevensie children, Lucy is sweet, loving and generous, unlike her more peaceful sister she has seen a few battles, mostly as a healer due to her possession of a cordial made from the juice of fire-flowers. But she is a fair archer and decent swordswoman as well.)

**Oreius****, a Centaur **(Captain of the Royal Narnian guard, he taught both Kings and Queen Lucy swordsmanship; and instructed all four rulers in the manner of battles and warfare. He is regarded as the closest confidant to High King Peter, after the King Edmund and their sisters of course, and the first to lead the battle charge beside the Narnian Kings.)

**Mr Tumnus, a faun **( Queen Lucy's oldest Narnian friend and beloved of all four of the Pevensies, he works with King Edmund in judicial matters, assists with diplomatic relations and other aspects of courtly life.)

**King Lune of Archenland** (The King of the closest kingdom to Narnia, Archenland, King Lune is kind and benevolent. He attends all the Cair Paravel gatherings he is able to with his only son Corin. King Lune loves all the courtly activities the Golden Age of Narnia has brought.)

**Prince Corin of Archenland **(The fair haired son of King Lune of Archenland, eleven-year-old Corin is full of mischief and the same cheery disposition of his doting father. But also possessing a mighty temper that it seems only the Archenlander nobles, and the Kings and queens of Narnia, know how to soothe.)

**Lords Dar and Darin of Archenland** (Quick witted, mighty knights of Archenland, Dar and Darin are identical twins and assist King Lune in keeping an eye on Prince Corin.)

**Leopald** (King Peter's playful talking dog, resembles a Border Collie but larger then earth dogs, with tan and white coloured fur, he keeps the hunting dogs, and the queens little lap dogs, in line. Only King Edmund's talking cat, grey furred **Geramiah, **manages to fool the otherwise bold Leopald into doing things for him.)

**Sallowpad** (Large talking Raven, a renowned diplomat and a favourite of the Kings and queens of Narnia.)

**Marina **(a Water Nymph, maid to Queen Lucy.)

**Deana** (a Tree Nymph, maid to Queen Susan.)

**Yardly (**a Faun, King Peter's chamberlain/manservant.)

**Mossfull (**a Wood God, King Edmund's chamberlain/manservant.)

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**I**

**Confounding thing that...**

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**O**nce there were four children in England... no not the four, (or possibly six,) children you are most likely thinking of in a story of Narnia.

Naturally Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy will eventually find their way into this story, (Eustace and Jill are absent for this tale.) But the four children I am talking of call themselves _flower_-children, (or hippies,) and the time isn't during or just post World War II.

The time is 1969, September to be precise.

The era is that of the love revolution. Far from the stoic fifties, the sixties came into their own with war-protests, feminist movements, cultural upheaval and music.

The most widespread purveyors of the music movement are _The Beatles_, four men from Liverpool England, who would continue to influence music for decades to come; and perhaps forever.

But back to the four flower-children protagonists of our tale. They happened to be travelling in a lime-green combi van across the English countryside, a day away from a concert being held at the famed London Palladium.

Three of the group were lounging in the back of the van, while the youngest of them was driving.

Our main interest would probably happen to settle on the two sleeping figures in the back; the first being a tall, blonde haired woman with her aforementioned hair in two very long plaits, dressed in a simple, long, white dress and wearing layers of beaded jewellery.

The blonde woman was resting her head on the lap of the other sleeping occupant, a bearded, red-haired young man in brown corduroy pants and a fringed suede vest. His shoulder-length hair is held back from his face by a woven leather headband.

They're a very handsome couple, (and snoring very loudly which is probably attracted your attention most of all.)

Sitting quietly across from the sleeping couple, and fingering an acoustic guitar, was a petite young woman with waist length hair. (A very dark red-brown shade and wavy, running loose save for a beaded headband.)

She had tan skin, with a scattering of dark freckles across her upturned nose running near her green eyes. The young woman wore an eclectic mix of garments, abet quite common in that era, (a pair of fabric painted jeans, a floaty white top with wide sleeves and a suede vest covered in floral embroidery.)

The red-haired woman's features bore a passing similarity to the red-haired man sitting across from her–as was a likely coincidence, as he was her older brother by three years, Malcolm Femke. The blonde haired woman, with the long braids, was his American girlfriend Dove, (real name Margery Eirena.)

The red-haired woman with the guitar is Aida Femke. A budding musician, (and much better composer,) from Australia. The young man driving the combi van is Aida's new boyfriend, Simon Halberd.

Born 1950, (nearly a year after Aida was born.) Simon had dark brown hair pulled back into a braid and was dressed in a pair of fared blue jeans and an open necked denim shirt with floral embroidery; and, around his neck, was the beaded necklace Aida had made for him earlier that day.

Aida looked over from her strumming and her eyes crinkled in the corners as she looked at Simon. They'd been friends for over a year, but he'd only just a couple of days ago gotten up the courage to take her out on their first date.

Hippie, maybe, but Simon still had a sweet, old fashioned way of how to treat a girl when you first start dating, something he blamed fondly on his dignified mother.

Putting down her guitar, Aida flung her large, rough-woven satchel over her shoulders and chest, and –hunched over– made her way to the front of the van; hopping over the vinyl covered seat to sit beside Simon. She ran her hand over her boyfriend's shoulder and lifted her fingers to his dark hair.

"You know George Harrison wears his hair long like this now," Aida mused as she played with the tendrils.

Simon looked across at her, a smile parting his bearded features.

"Well he's always been my favourite Beatle, your's too, right?" His deep, melodious voice questioned. Aida nodded and kissed his cheek, resting her head on his shoulder. "So, London again. Do you remember the last time we were there?"

Aida murmured her assent, "Hmm, how could I forget? It was where we first met each other at Phil's party. You were wearing those green striped pants–"

Simon raised his eyebrows as he interrupted, "And you were in that amazing, very, very short mini-dress, wow! You flipped my lid," his light accent showed his South London upbringing; but he deliberately slipped into cockney to the delight of his girlfriend.

"I knew then I wanted you."

Aida kissed his neck, "Very badly I'll bet. That was a very, very short dress," she whispered in his ear.

Simon took his eyes off the vacant countryside road for a moment to kiss her lips quickly, but in that brief moment he saw out of the corner of his very blue eyes, a large object in the middle of the road. "Shite!" He cursed loudly, turning the wheel sharply to the right and the van wheel screeched loudly along the mostly dirt road.

Aida grabbed a hold of the dashboard as the combi started to skid off the side of the road.

"Far out man, what's happening up there?" Mal's loud –slightly groggy– voice called out from the back. Aida looked over her shoulder to see her brother clutching Dove to his chest; both of them on the opposite side of the van to where they had been napping before.

"We nearly hit something!" Aida called back.

Malcolm glanced down at Dove who was rubbing her braided haired-head.

Once the van had screeched to a rattling stop, Simon let go of the steering wheel and looked over at his pale girlfriend. "Are you okay love?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

Aida nodded and took in a deep breath to try and calm down her fast beating heart. "I'm okay, we didn't crash so that's something," she looked back over at her brother and his girlfriend, "you guys good back there?" She queried. The other occupants both nodded their heads.

"Okay, I'm going to go check on what we nearly hit, it could be a dog..."

Simon rubbed his eyes as he started to regain his composure, "More likely a horse! That thing looked much bigger than any dog or cat…or any badger..." He shook his head, "never mind. Do you really think it's safe for just you to go check it out?"

Aida laughed and kissed his forehead, "How chivalrous my knight. I'm a big girl, if I need some help I'll call out, okay?" She kissed his lips as she reached over to unlock the passenger side door. "I'll be back in a moment."

Halberd watched her leave with dark his dark eyebrows knotted in concern, Aida blew him a kiss as she walked away from the van; leaving the passenger door open, in case of any danger arising, (for it would be foolish _not_ to keep it open, after all.)

Walking the short distance back down the road, Aida laughed at the jingling bells on her bracelets and anklet, ringing as her bare feet moved along the dirt road.

"_Rings on her fingers and bell on her toes, she shall have music wherever she_..."

She stopped before finishing the old nursing rhyme, as the power of speech was robbed from her as a large, furry shape loomed only metres in front of her.

"..._goes._" Aida breathed in awe, recognising the shape from long ago storybooks, two visits to the circus as a child and numerous trips to zoos, (plus several bad _Tarzan_ movies.)

It was either a lion or a really, really big puppet that was made to accurately portray one.

The young woman immediately began chewing her lower lip. It was impossible. The nearest Zoo was miles from here and she hadn't seen a circus tent at all... however, you could still buy Lion cubs from places like _Harrods_ in London.

_That must be it_, Aida thought, _he's wondered off someone's farm!_

Feeling a twinge of pity for the magnificent looking beast, Aida squinted to see if it was breathing. Sighing and pulling out her national health style glasses from her bag, she placed them on her rather decided nose and studied the beast closely.

The tawny coloured mass of fur and darker tawny mane didn't appear to be moving.

"Poor thing," Aida wiped a tear from her right eye as she put away her glasses. "We have to at least move him off the road, Sim—"

She began to call for her boyfriend, when in the blink of an eye, the seemingly lifeless lion was –with one swift bound– suddenly standing face to face with the girl.

Falling back rather ignobly onto her behind, Aida let out one small squeak in response to the huge, furred creature looking down at her with soft, wise eyes.

"Oh God, this is really bad karma," the young woman finally managed to breath, _Oh well, at least my __overbearing-nightmare-of-a-matriarch was right about me heading for a bad end, good for her_…

Aida squeezed her eyes shut, "Nice kitty?" She offered, _Oh great last words Femke.._.

"Yes," a cultured voice, deep and calming, replied.

Aida opened one eye and looked up at the lion, who was sitting back on his haunches and studying her gravely.

"I _am_ a nice_ lion_," the large feline corrected, Aida opened both her eyes very wide and lowered her head.

"Forgive me Mister Lion," she pleaded, switching to her most polite manner, "I don't think I should taste very good..." the thought not passing through her head, at that moment, that she was begging for her life from a_ talking_ lion.

There was a loud chuckle that turned into a booming laugh, Aida felt a heavy weight on her left shoulder, glancing over she saw the lion had placed his huge paw on her shoulder. "Child, I will do you no harm, rise to your feet. You are Aida Nadia Femke?"

Aida grimaced at her full name as she struggled to her feet, readjusting her heavy satchel. "If it so pleases you, Mister Lion, sir," she began, looking up into the beautiful features of the huge lion, "just call me Aida, please," she added boldly. _Is this a hallucination or something else? Damn, I knew I should have laid off the stash last night..._

The lion cocked his head to the side. "But child, your first and middle names together mean _Returning Hope_ , it is very beautiful. I shall call you by it," he smiled.

(_A strange sight indeed_, Aida pondered.)

"I am Aslan. Son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea, Lord of Cair Paravel, Emperor of the Lone Islands, High King over all high Kings, Creator and Lord of Narnia," Aslan finished with a swift nod of his head.

Aida knelt down on one knee quickly. A hallucination or not, she didn't want to displease the lion…and perhaps find herself his lunch.

"Forgive me my Lord," Aida murmured, then after a couple of seconds Aida realised something and lifted her green eyes. "Narnia? What is Narnia, Lord Aslan? Is it your land?"

Aslan lay down, his mighty head level with the kneeling young woman, "Child, Narnia, (the true and that land of old,) belong not only to my father and I, but to all who seek it; live in it; and love it.

"I have many names. I believe you know me by my name in this world very well," he mentioned gently.

"I do? There _are_ worlds other than this one? Are you really a lion or something else..." Aida was cut off by a chuckle from Aslan, who laid down and crossed his paws.

"Aida Nadia, you have many questions and I have the answers; but I instead need this time to ask you a question and for you to answer."

He breathed, causing a rush of air almost like a great wind, and suddenly, (before Aida could breathe a word of protest,) in a motion that sent their surroundings into a blurry haze of colour, the quaint countryside and dirt road were replaced by lush green forests and rolling open fields. Edging the view were mountainous ranges.

_It's almost like a living map...wait a moment..._

Aida suddenly realised she was gazing down far above all these things from high above, between wisps of _clouds_ of all things!

Looking across, Aida saw Aslan still beside her and she reached out a frightened hand to grab a hold of his mane; but started to slip from their position suspended in the skies, high above the strange landscape.

"Aslan help m..." Aida stopped mid sentence as Aslan looked at her with solemn eyes.

A story from Sunday school came to her mind, when St Peter was walking on the water to the Christ and began to lose faith and then slipped into the water.

_Faith_.

Aida to a steady breath, Aslan wouldn't let her fall, as her fear subsided, she stood beside the mighty lion once more.

Aslan waved his paw across the land below them. "Behold Narnia, in her Golden Age, ruled over by her two kings and two queens," Aslan revealed.

Aida nodded but her mind was wondering, _How can there be two kings and two queens of one land_? Nevertheless it was like a fairytale kingdom, or a very ancient or medieval land.

"It's...very beautiful. Varied and very lush," Femke felt she should complement the land, it being her companion's own work, but instantly felt sheepish as Aslan smirked over at her.

"I'm glad you like it, child," he walked across the sky, and Aida, reminding herself it might just be a hallucination or dream, followed in his paw steps bravely. "Now I offer you this task Aida Nadia, the court of Cair Paravel is yours to enjoy and all the lands of Narnia are open for you to travel.

"Here is my token, so that all will know you are sent by me," Aslan procured a gold pendant on a simple crimson ribbon and, grasping it in his right paw, passed it to the young woman.

Aida took the pendant and scratched her head with her free hand as they stopped just above the coastline.

Upon closer inspection of the heavy pendant, Aida saw it was a shining lion head, about two inches in size, finely crafted and with ruby eyes set in its features; and an open mouth showing its golden teeth.

"Oh. Sounds more like a gear holiday then a task, my Lord," Aida commented as she turned her gaze from the pendant and eyed the sparkling waters with delight. _Hallucination or not, this is interesting_...

Aslan sat back on his haunches and smiled vaguely as Aida clasped the pendant around her neck, it sat just below her collarbone, giving off an unusual warmth.

"Hmm, there are two conditions of course," the mighty Lion revealed, Femke turned her gaze to Aslan, who counted out the two tasks on his paws.

"One, that you befriend the Narnian kings and queens at the court of Cair Paravel, engage with them as often as you can. One King or Queen you might find a little more reluctant of your friendship."

Aida sat down beside Aslan, pulling her knees to her chin, "And the second?" She questioned.

Aslan looked down at her kindly, "Just be yourself, child. Narnia has been in dire need of some new people to keep it in its merry ways," he breathed on her face gently, his long whiskers tickling her.

"My blessings go with you, Aida Nadia, I will be back for you when the time is right."

Aida's eyes widened, "You're leaving? But what about Simon, my brother and Dove? I just can't leave them without any–"

Before Aida could continue, the mighty Lion had taken in a deep breath and blew hard, blowing the young woman clear out of the sky and floating like a dandelion towards the beaches.

Aida waved her arms, half in amusement, (if this was a dream,) and half in terror, (if it were not.) "Zephyr!" She shouted, remembering the Ancient Greek tales of the enchanted wind that had carried Psyche to Eros.

As if pleased Aida knew his name, the gust of wind called Zephyr spun her around and tossed her like a babe in arms.

"Far out!" Aida cried as she spread out her arms as they glided over the tree studded cliffs , but all too soon the wind dropped her gently onto the soft sand of the Narnian coast.

"_Oof_!" The young woman scrambled to her feet and brushed off the fine white sand from her clothing. The weather felt warm, more like late spring-early summer, rather than the end of summer like it had been in England; digging her feet to the sand Aida felt the warmth flow around her ankles.

Pulling her feet out, Aida walked down to the shore and looked up and down the wide expanse of beach. The young woman hadn't seen beaches like this since she had been in America.

The tepid, very blue sea lapped against Aida's feet, and reached up as far as her ankles before rushing back into its depths.

"Low-tide," Aida muttered. Her family's farm had been close to the beach; and she had spent just as much time on the coast as on the land.

Femke took her eyes from the water to look to the left of the beach. The coastline gave way to a river flowing into a dense forest, looking to the left the coastline was lined with rugged cliffs that instantly reminded Aida of home.

Swallowing back a wave of homesickness, Aida noticed a large formation further up the coast she could quite make out, the young woman reached into her satchel, which somehow managed to survive the journey to Narnia.

(_Probably as this is a dream or hallucination_, Aida reminded herself,)

Femke pulled out her national health style glasses from one of the satchel pockets.

Placing them on, Aida saw the outline of a rather large construction. It looked to be a huge stone castle on many levels, with colourful flags waving in the breeze from the turrets.

She whistled, "Very pretty. Who knew I was so imaginative? I should be writing children's novels…or songs for Jefferson Aeroplane," Aida mumbled to herself, placing her glasses back into her satchel and looking over at the inviting water.

_Oh well, these Kings and queens can wait a while, I'm going for a swim._

Quickly, the petite young woman stripped down to just her white underwear and stretched her arms as she made her way to the shore line and waded into the blue ocean...foolish enough (in her rush to get to the water,) to leave her clothing and satchel on the beach, instead of hidden behind a nearby bush...

But there was no-one around to bereft Aida of her possessions.

Was there?

-xxx-

A heavy, but muted, sound of horse hooves on sand proceeded the two figures on bay horses as they turned around a white cliff face and splashed into the lapping sea crashing onto the shore.

As the horses crashed through the water, they sent up sprays of clear water in their wake; and the motion caused the two young people to laugh loudly, both at the sensation of the warm breeze; and the cool water against their healthy features.

Both dressed simply in dark brown riding breeches, black knee-high boots and wide-sleeved silk shirts untied at the neck, you might have mistaken the young, red-haired woman, (with her hair pulled back in a messy single braid.) And her dark haired male companion, (his own ear-length hair messy also,) for simple stable-hands exercising horses.

However, there were many fine jeweled rings on the fingers of the young woman and a sparkling silver lion headed ring on the young man's left hand. Also, their silk shirts are made of the finest material and shot-through with silver thread in the man's; and shining gold embroidery dots the young woman's shirt.

Aside from looking closely upon their clothing, the manner in which they sat on their horses, (despite the romping gallop as they were currently engaged in,) displayed a dignified aura even in their playfulness.

Most of you will recall the events of the _Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe_ in which four children, all of the same family, (Pevensie to be exact,) had a marvelous adventure, saved Narnia from the clutches of the White Witch and eternal winter; and were then crowned Kings and queens over all Narnia.

Well you will also remember they grew up in beauty and grace during their time spent ruling Narnia, before they returned to this world.

The dark haired, bearded young man who sits so well on his talking horse is King Edmund the Just, aged twenty-two years.

The pretty maid with the sparkling eyes and infectious smile is Queen Lucy the Valiant, aged twenty years; and being every bit as sweet and childlike as ever.

Having escaped from the boring task of standing still, while several faun sculptors took sketches of the youngest two monarchs for life-sized marble statues, (which were going to be placed in the treasure room.) They had sneaked away when the fauns left for a moment to inspect the large, thick blocks of white marble the mountain dwarfs had brought into the courtyard.

Lucy jarred her heels into the sides of her bay mare, "Yarr, Grani! _Yarr_!" she encouraged. The small mare's delicate hooves almost glided horse and rider ahead, the swift Grani easily over took the aging Phillip and Edmund; leaving them behind in a dust of sand.

The young man spluttered out the sand and took one hand from his reigns to rub his face free of the grains of sand. "Lucy! You got sand in my beard!" Edmund called out as he nudged Phillip ahead, the talking horse attempting to catch up with the fleeter horse and rider ahead.

The smirking, tomboyish Queen glanced over her shoulder, "Well good! Maybe that will encourage you to shave off the horrible thing!" Lucy shot back with a gleeful poke of her tongue.

Edmund frowned into the aforementioned beard, "You never complain about Peter's beard!" He mentioned. His sister shrugged and winked at him as her brother caught up to her and they slowed their pace.

"I'm used to it, he's had it since he was nineteen. You only grew that beard a couple of weeks ago; and I haven't gotten used to it yet, it makes you look...older," Lucy frowned herself and Edmund raised his eyebrows.

"Alright, I know we're all '_Grownups _' now, as our dear sister keeps reminding us; but I like to see your smile a bit better. It reminds me of our first year in Narnia."

Edmund reached over and touched Lucy's hands, "I remember those times well, dear sister. But we must move on and keep the memories close to our hearts," he smiled at her and Lucy beamed. "There now Lady sister. Well, do we set up camp somewhere nearby? Or are we going to go back home to face Susan's lecture?" He inquired.

The youngest Narnian Queen grimaced and they laughed again before Edmund turned his head forward, after catching something out of the corner of his eye. "What is that near the shoreline?" He questioned out loud, pointing over with his finger at the bundle only a few feet ahead.

Lucy shook her head as she held her right hand over her eyes like a visor, "I know not brother, let us dismount and investigate," she leaned over and dismounted from Grani. Edmund grabbed his sword from its hasty sheath on the saddle-pack behind him and also dismounted from Phillip.

As he flipped the reigns over Phillip's head with his free hand, Edmund glanced over his talking horse to see the steed eying him with exhaustion, "Oh come now Phillip," he scolded with a grin. "Where's your sense of adventure?" Edmund added, leading the talking beast ahead; and pretending not to hear the bay stallion mumble unhappily under his breath, as he plodded along behind his monarch.

Lucy followed her older brother, holding the red leather reigns of Grani in her left grasp, while her right hand rested on the dagger sheathed on her belt. They walked slowly over to the bundle and –as they halted over it– Edmund reached out with his sword and poked over the bundle; flipping over pieces of cloth that revealed themselves as clothing.

After being satisfied there was no immediate danger with the unknown pile, both Lucy and Edmund dropped their horses reigns; and knelt down to investigate the strange clothing.

Lucy picked up the curiously heavy trousers. "How odd, this faded blue material is quite heavy, like a workman's clothing. But it is covered in pretty embroidery," she showed the pants to Edmund, who looked them over himself. "They smell of a strange perfume, like the markets of Tashbaan...incense, isn't it?"

Edmund inclined his head gravely, "Yes that is the scent. I think that slimy Prince Rabadash flooded his guest chamber with the fragrance, the last time he was here trying to woo Susan," he dropped the simple shirt and turned his attention to the suede satchel; which was bulging with something heavy.

Unbuttoning and lifting up the top, Edmund looked inside, "There's a very strange object that takes up most of the space in this bag and...sister!" He scolded as Lucy put her hands into the satchel and pulled out the square, boxy object.

Lucy looked it over the box with a critical eye, as her older brother put down the bag with a scowl.

"Hmm, what an odd shade of blue it is. It looks like it is made from some sort of shell," Queen Lucy tapped the smooth outer casing and studied the knobs and buttons. "I wonder if it contains something... oops," the box slipped out of her grasp, and landed with a soft thump on the sand, causing the lid to flip open.

A loud scratch was heard and then both Edmund and Lucy jumped back, as the box suddenly emitted a strange score of music, adjoined with a man's singing voice accompanied with a choral backing.

"_...and anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders. For, well, you know that it's a fool...!"_

"Hey!" A voice called out over the loud music.

The young King and Queen turned their attention from the strange music-box and over in the direction the shout had come from.

Brother and sister blinked simultaneously, as they saw the head of what looked like a girl –or young woman– peering over at them from just above the waves of the ever-blue _Eastern sea_.

The figure had red hair, (much darker than Lucy's,) and lightly tanned features. They couldn't tell much more from this distance; the figure lifted a skinny arm out of the water to point at them.

"If you broke that 45 you owe me a new one! Wait right there!" The figure began to swim closer and Lucy walked over to the shoreline; followed by her cautious older brother who balanced his sword in readiness, in case the stranger proved volatile.

The unknown female left ripples in the water as she came closer, suggesting she wasn't a mermaid despite her long hair floating behind her.

Perhaps a sea-nymph?

"I am sorry madam, we thought these items abandoned. Your music-box is very strange and I have never heard one play music that also has spoken lyrics," Lucy apologized as the stranger arrived closer to the shore.

The strange young woman got to her feet and her long hair fell over her bare chest.

Edmund blushed slightly and turned away. The figure was most definitely not a sea-nymph as her lightly tanned skin had no gills. She looked like an Archenlander or a Calormene; or a wood-nymph.

Queen Lucy smiled, even though she was shocked that the young woman had gone swimming in nothing but what looked like tiny shorts. "I'm sorry, madam," she apologized again; and the shorter woman smiled and shrugged as she knelt down to investigate her music-box.

"Is your music-box broken?"

The stranger shook her head and folded the lid back on top of her possession, "It's an LP player; and nah. They build 'em tough now days," the young woman assured in her strange accent; which almost sounded Narnian or Archenlandian. But it had a softer lit, it was rather pretty.

The long haired woman looked aside at Edmund, who still had his back turned, and smirked. "How do you do, sir?"

Edmund covered his eyes with his left hand and turned around, offering his free hand, "Very well, madam," he replied. The stranger rolled her eyes and gave him her hand and he kissed the back of it, dropping her hand he pulled back and pointed at himself.

"I am King Edmund the Just and this is my sister, Queen Lucy the Valiant."

There was a shocked raise of the girl's fair eyebrows as she looked over at Lucy, "Is that so?"

Lucy caught the surprise in the young woman's voice and shook her head, "We are not married. We rule Narnia with our two older siblings, Queen Susan the Gentle and High King Peter the Magnificent."

There was a snort of laughter from the young woman as she turned around and knelt down to start rummaging through her clothing, "_Magnificent_? Really?" She looked up and saw Lucy looked puzzled.

"Oh, I guess you are serious... damn my jeans are soaked, I'm going to have pull out my good dress...wait...do you and your siblings rule over a court called Cair Paravel?" She inquired suddenly, pulling out a short, black satin looking tunic with white edging from her satchel; and then proceeded to pull it over her damp head.

"You can uncover you eyes now your highness." The young woman announced, wriggling the tunic down to her thighs.

Edmund sheepishly removed his hand and nodded at the partially clothed girl, who was wringing out her very long hair, "We do rule over the court of Cair Paravel madam. Have you been looking for us and our older brother and sister?" He invoked.

The young woman nodded, and jammed a couple of what looked like hair pins in her mouth as she started braiding her hair.

"May we have your name, where you are from and reason for seeking us out madam?" Edmund persisted.

The young woman nodded as she pulled out the pins from her mouth, "I'm Aida Femke. Just Aida if you prefer; and I hope you do your highnesses, as I'm not fond of my full name," Aida pinned a circle of her braid to her head and proceeded with braiding the hair on other side of her head. "I'm originally from Australia, but your 'Lion Lord' picked me up in England..."

"Lion Lord?" Lucy interrupted with wide eyes, "do you mean…" she looked over at an equally surprised Edmund. "…Lord Aslan?"

Aida finished with her hair and folded her arms under her breasts, "That's the one. He told me to give you this as a token that I'm sent by him," she reached under her high-necked dress and unlatched a red ribbon; she pulled out a pendant of a golden lion-head the Narnian monarchs had failed to notice before.

Aida tossed it to Edmund, who inspect the heavy gold pendant. "It is Aslan's symbol all right; it is near-identical to the head on our brother Peter's sword. Is your world, by chance, Lady Aida, called Spare-oom?" King Edmund invoked, with a grave expression passing over his dark bearded features.

Lucy looked excitedly over at Aida, who shook her head.

"No, my world is called Earth…Spare-oom? Is that where you are from? I swear you sound like my boyfriend; and he's from the south of London," the young woman shrugged and reached into her satchel. "Whatever…where was I?" Aida pulled out a pair of white, ankle boots and pulled the left one on as Edmund folded his arms.

"What you want with us?" The King looked over the plain, slender features of the young woman for any signs of deceit; but Aida's slightly freckled, (and rather aquiline nosed,) face held a look of honesty Edmund instantly liked.

Aida was far from any conventional beauty, but there was something attractive about her mismatched appearance.

The aforementioned young woman jumped to her feet, the tunic falling just above her knees.

"I want nothing! Far out, I had a concert where Hendrix was performing to go to! My boyfriend Simon paid a ton for those gear front row tickets…and instead here I am in a Medieval fairy-tale land; probably having a toke induced hallucination!" Aida pointed out oddly, pulling her satchel across the middle of her chest.

Lucy scowled at her brother and placed her warm hand on the other young woman's bare arm, "We mean, Aida, why did Aslan bring you here? Did he say?"

Aida shook her head and shrugged, "Well not really. Aslan just said to meet you four and he'd come for me when the time was right," she looked over at Edmund, her green eyes cautious.

"Well?"

Biting his lower lip, the Just King looked over at his sister and then shrugged, "Well, then you better come home with us," Edmund replied.

Lucy happily linked her arm through Aida's and lead her over to the horses as Edmund followed with a sigh.

"Oh what fun it is to have a foreign guest in our court; and don't worry, your dress seems to have been torn, Susan and I will see you better clothed and cleaned up!" The youngest Narnia Queen patted the other young woman's arm comfortingly, and Aida blinked up at her.

"Huh? My dress isn't torn, I bought this one on Carnaby Street onlylast week."

Edmund looked amused at Lucy's expression, "So this is fashionable back where you are from, Lady Aida?" He smiled approvingly at the young woman's bare legs and was rewarded with a smack on the arm from his sister.

"Oww, Lu! I was only asking a question!"

Lucy shook her head and Aida chuckled at the brother-sister exchange, "Honestly, I apologize Aida," she mentioned as the shorter young woman held up her free hand and shook her head.

"Not to worry, your highness, I have two older brothers myself," Aida winked at Edmund. "It _is_ fashionable, your highness…what lovely horses," she changed the subject as they reached. "For being bays they really are rather unique looking—"

Phillip lifted his head as he interrupted, "Why, thank-you, Madam, you are rather unique looking yourself, Milady," he inclined his head and Aida suddenly felt very faint.

"Oh you talk…? Oh of _course_ you talk…the lion talked…oh boy," Femke looked up at Edmund. "Do all the animals talk in Narnia, your highness?"

The Just King shook his head, "Not all, you will come to know those that do," he patted her shoulder, "come, we can ride double; do you mind Phillip?"

The talking bay shook his head, "Someone like the Madam would hardly be much extra; besides, she thinks I'm unique," Phillip gave his King a horsey smirk.

Edmund rolled his eyes and mounted the bay, offering his hand to Aida, who gracefully jumped up behind him and put her arms around his waist; Lucy quickly mounted Grani and sided up to her companions.

The two horses set off at a steady canter along the shoreline, heading for the mythical castle of Cair Paravel.

Aida looked ahead at the aforesaid castle and shook her head.

_The Beatles might have seen Sgt Pepper and his band…but I'm seeing the whole freaking court of Camelot! I think I'd win best drug hallucination_.

* * *

**Liked it? Disliked it? Let me know. Other than that, feel free to move onto the next chapter. **


	2. I Think I Know Your Tailor

**II**

**I think I know your tailor…**

* * *

**O**h wow!" Aida breathed, her face lit up under the colourful, tie-died scarf she had wrapped around her head to keep off the sun.

The steep gardens of Cair-Paravel –that wound their way down the cliff-face– had paths edged with apple-trees in mid-blossom; and just starting to produce fruit.

The fragrant scent of the tiny white apple-blossoms wafted in the warm, spring-like breeze coming from over the ocean; and mingled with the scent of the many flower beds (filled with dozens of different flowers,) surrounding them.

The gardeners of the castle –a mixture of gnomes dryads, fauns, dwarves, badgers and other talking beasts– all bowed as two of their monarchs rode towards the main castle; most lifting their heads with a curious glance at the King and Queen's strangely dressed companion.

Edmund looked behind at Aida, "We're heading for the stables first. Then, after we have all made ourselves presentable, Lucy and I will take you to our brother," he informed the young woman, who nodded.

"That will be fine, your highness," Aida replied airily, her attention captivated the beautiful surrounds as they headed to the stables.

That almost tranquil silence was broken, however, by a loud clanging noise going on in what looked like a grassy training field off to the side of the stables.

A half-man, half-horse (_A centaur, Femke_, Aida scolded herself mentally. _Remember Ancient History?...That's right, Mrs Phillips. Yeesh, damnable old battle-axe..._) was wearing a silver battle helmet, with the visor pulled down over his features.

The centaur's sword was raised mid-air as he waited for his opponent to get up from the ground. His opponent appeared humanoid, and was clad in shining silver armour, with a sculpted silver helmet.

Aida couldn't see much else from this distance, and decided to give Edmund and Lucy the slip once they reached the stables so she could investigate further.

Femke's chance came at last when they entered –via a large stone arch– the courtyard of the stable and Edmund dismounted first, offering his hand to Aida; who ignored his offered assistance and jumped off neatly, brushing off her dress.

The young King looked puzzled, but pushed back his hair and took the reins of Phillip.

"My lady sister and I will unsaddle our mounts and be back momentarily," Edmund inclined his head. Lucy smiled at Aida and Femke smiled in return, waving merrily at the two monarchs as they disappeared into the stables.

Aida waited a moment to make sure, then turned on her heal and headed for the training field at a brisk pace._ I'm not going to miss the chance to see an actual duel between knight and a centaur by being a good, obedient guest..._

Besides, she wasn't leaving the grounds, was she? Just taking a little stroll.

Finding her way over to the fence bordering the training lawn, Aida hoisted herself onto the wooden log fence and swung her legs back and forth.

The humanoid knight was back on his feet, but not for long as the centaur knocked him down again.

Aida was enjoying the spectacle and applauded before booing loudly at the fallen knight. "C'mon Shiny, back on your feet!" She yelled out cheerfully.

The fallen knight turned his head in her direction and got to his armoured feet, Aida grinned in amusement as he trudged over to her, eying her bare legs before looking up at her with a tilt of his head.

He looked to be over six-feet tall and stood straight, emphasising his height. "Can I help you, good madam?" The knight's voice was deep and pleasant, with a high bred accent that echoed from within the confines of his helmet.

Aida fluttered her eyelashes mockingly at the knight.

"Oh brave and wise knight, he who sounds like Peter O'Toole, would you like a token of my favour? It may aid you in your duelling," Aida was beyond amusement (and close to being giddy.)

The knight rested the tip of his sword on the ground between his feet and inclined his head cautiously. "If you believe it would help, my lady." He replied solemnly.

Aida unbound the scarf from her head and tossed it to him with a very girly: "_Ooh!_" And the knight caught it and tied it around his wrist, inclining his head before trudging back to the amused looking centaur.

"Go get 'em honey!" Femke called out at the top of her lungs, the knight glanced confusedly over his shoulder at the waving young woman, before turning back to the centaur.

Aida gripped her hands on the fence and crossed her legs. _This is better than a Medieval Faire_, she thought idly, reaching into her satchel and pulling out a cigarette and her Buckingham Palace souvenir lighter.

Placing the cigarette in her lips, Aida turned her head and barely had time to ignite her lighter before a pair of narrowed brown eyes blocked her view.

"Hello your highness," Femke greeted, lighting her cigarette and tossing the lighter back into her satchel.

Edmund folded his arms. "Good Lady Aida, I asked you to wait for us," he watched the young woman grasp the cigarette between two fingers and inhale before pulling it away from her lips.

"Yep, but you didn't say wait for you there at the stables," Aida exhaled and smiled over at Queen Lucy, who joined her on the fence. "Hello your highness."

The young Queen smiled in return, "Hello Aida. That is a strange pipe," she inspected the cigarette, Aida reached into her satchel, but Lucy held up her hand before the other woman offered.

"I do not smoke pipes, Aida. I didn't know any ladies did so."

Femke shrugged and turned back to the duel, just as the humanoid knight knocked the sword from the centaur and he yielded. Aida placed her cigarette in her left hand and put the fingers from her right hand in her mouth, whistling loudly and then applauding just as loudly.

"Alright Shiny! Whoo!"

Lucy exchanged a glance with Edmund as the knight turned and approached the group assembled by the fence; but the young king didn't have a chance to inform Aida of anything, before the young woman waved merrily to the knight.

"I see you have done my honour well, brave knight," Aida looked wickedly upon the knight. "Would you like another token? My underwear, perhaps?"

Lucy gasped and nearly fell off the fence, Edmund turned wordlessly to the knight, who shook his head and removed his helmet. The handsome visage under the helmet had piercing blue eyes, fair hair and an even fairer beard.

"That will not be at all necessary, madam," the knight looked over at Edmund. "Ed, who is this woman?"

Edmund looked over at Aida, who was taking another drag of her cigarette. "Lady Aida Femke of Australia, this is our brother, High King Peter of Narnia."

Aida raised an eyebrow and tossed aside her cigarette, smiling nervously at the tall monarch and jumping from the fence; bowing her head respectfully, before lifting up her green eyes.

"I am sorry, your majesty. I thought you were a normal knight, I was only teasing."

Peter raised his brow, "I realise that, madam. Australia...that is not in Narnia nor anywhere else on our maps," he eyed again the way the woman was dressed, a sudden coolness entered his voice.

"Where are you from?"

Aida inspected this '_Magnificent_' High King. He looked like the ideal King Arthur, (fair and handsome,) but there was something about him that was eerily familiar...something about his voice...

"Earth, your majesty," Aida replied simply.

The King blinked. "Earth...I have not heard of it," he approached Aida and looked down at the woman, who looked solemnly back up at him. "Why are you here?"

Aida reached around her neck and pulled out the chain, showing Peter the shining gold lion head. "Your friend, the Lion Lord, brought me–" she began, before the High King slipped the pendant from the petite woman's neck; and inspected it with cool appraisal.

"Aslan? Yes, it is his symbol cut in gold, I bear it on my sword...why did he bring you here?" Peter's blue eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back to Femke. "Are you a daughter of Eve, madam? The wife of Adam?"

Aida pursed her lips, "I'm not sure how far I can trace back my ancestors, your majesty, but not _that_ far." She joked.

The High King shook his head and looked at her even more intently. "I mean, are you human, madam?" The fair haired monarch persisted.

Aida did not like the way this man –High King or no High King– looked at her, and rolled her eyes. "No, I'm a genie. Usually I have blonde hair, wear pink veils and chase after Majors that work for NASA," she folded her arms. "Of course I'm a human."

Peter looked unimpressed. "You are certain your land is not called Spare-oom?" He invoked.

"No. It is called Earth, your holiness," Aida numbered off on her fingers. "I was born on October 31st, nineteen forty-nine. I grew up on a farm in a country called Australia.

"The date, when I left Earth, was September the 18th, nineteen sixty-nine; and I was on my way to a concert with my boyfriend, my brother and his girlfriend, at the London Palladium."

"Lon-don Palladium?" Edmund echoed, furrowing his brow. "London...that sounds so familiar, doesn't it Lu?" He turned to his younger sibling, who nodded her head thoughtfully.

The High King looked as deep in thought as his siblings. "Well, madam, it is quite a tale you spin. Nineteen sixty-nine, you say?" Peter pushed back his hair from his sweating brow.

"Well," he handed Aida back her pendant. "I hope you will not be here long, if you have a lover waiting on you. Lucy, take our guest—"

"Aida, your majesty," Femke interrupted, placing the pendant back around her neck. The Earth woman's distrust of the High King growing, when he seemed to be so interested in the year of the location she'd come from.

Peter stared just as distrustfully back, "Lady Aida, to our sister. No doubt Susan will like to meet her," he inclined his head. "Farewell madam."

The foreign young woman half-bowed, "Yeah, thanks, your most holiness."

Aida hopped off the fence and allowed Lucy to lead her in the direction of the castle, sparing a glance over her shoulder at the two kings; before being distracted by Lucy's chattering.

-xxx-

Peter turned on his younger brother as soon as the women were out of ear shot, "Brother, where did you find this uncouth creature?" He demanded an answer of Edmund, who scratched the back of his neck.

"Lucy and I found her on the beach. She had a strange music device and the pendant from Aslan. The Lady Aida said Aslan had asked her to arrive here to meet with us."

Peter's grip on his sword hilt turned his knuckles white, "Anything else? She is not tasked with anything else?" He invoked with a slight hiss of worry in his voice, that made his dark haired brother eye him suspiciously.

"No. Tis strange, but I trust the lady. She is fiery and confident, it's rather becoming in a maid," Edmund tapped his bearded chin thoughtfully. "If I had not an interest in Lady Alaine of Galma, I might try to woo her myself."

The High King rolled his eyes, "Being confident and fiery is a becoming trait in a charger, not in a woman," Peter pointed out, sheathing his sword with a snort. "Besides, what of her honour? She has a lover...poor fellow."

"You speak of the bare-legged maid I saw you talking with, your majesty?" Oreius interrupted as he joined the two monarchs near the fence, leaning against the aforementioned object and folding his arms.

Peter nodded, "The self same creature." He untied Aida's scarf from his wrist and looked at the colourful piece of cloth with a thoughtful expression. "What do you make of her, good Oreius? Speak plainly, if you will."

The centaur shrugged his shoulders and kicked a loose pebble with his right front hoof, "A comely maid. Not too beautiful, which I find more attractive in a female. An unusual manner, and," Oreius raised his heavy eyebrows.

"Obviously too much for you, King Peter."

The High King folded his armour covered arms over his chest, "I could handle her if I wanted, Oreius. Thank the Great Lord beyond the sea I do not wish to do so," Peter responded with a shake of his head as Edmund chuckled.

"Still, this is an interesting development. I wonder what Aslan means by sending this Lady Aida to us?"

-xxx-

Aida patiently let Lucy lead her by the arm through the lovely stone hallways of Cair Paravel. The beautiful woven tapestries were a source of distraction, as were the various paintings, statues and busts; but every time Aida tried to stop to look at the aforesaid items, Lucy would pull her along with a quickly said:

"_You can look later, Lady Aida. Susan will be delighted to meet you! And then we'll both do your hair...just imagine the fun! And just wait till you see some of the beautiful dresses we can clad you in! And all the lovely perfumes from Calormen and..."_

Aida decided she liked Queen Lucy, but (despite being about the same age as the Earth human,) the young woman often spoke and acted like an exuberant teenager, or child.

It was probably charming here in la-la land, (_Narnia_, _whatever_,) but it was giving Aida a headache. She hoped the presence of Lucy's older sister might calm the aurbany-haired Queen.

Upon reaching what looked like the entrance to an elaborate conservatory in a botanical gardens, rather than a bedroom. Lucy entered first, pulling along the doubtful Femke, who glanced around the exotic chambers, (which looked they had been stolen straight off the Ancient Rome set of _Cleopatra_.)

A series of dryads, fauns and animals were rushing about, playing music and dancing around to the merry tune they were making. In the middle of all this was a tall, dark haired beauty. The elegant woman was dressed in a long, embroidered, dark purple gown; with split sleeves revealing a lilac, sheer under-dress.

The young woman was wearing a crown of gold –sculpted with daffodils– atop her dark hair, (Aida was quite taken with the crown, reminding her of San Francisco two summers ago.) and her pale, pretty features, were set in an expression of mirth as she danced in circles with a faun.

"Susan! Susan!" Lucy called out to whom was obviously her older sister, waving at the older Queen.

The music stopped and the tall, dark haired Queen Susan turned to regard the intruders, and –lifting up her skirts– strolled over to them.

The elder Queen of Narnia stopped just before the stairs, that lead up to the marble floored entranceway Lucy and Aida stood upon.

"Lucy! Dearest sister, where have you been? Running away with Edmund like that, really...!" Susan turned her gaze to Aida, her dark blue eyes curious, and Aida was slightly taken back by the beautiful young woman.

"And you are, madam?"

Aida inclined her head, trying to shake the feeling of déjà vu she was feeling from the familiarity of those blue eyes...had she met this woman before? "Aida Femke of Australia, your highness," she introduced herself.

Susan nodded curtly as Aida lifted her eyes back up, those familiar dark blue eyes shifting to Lucy for an explanation. "Is she a guest, dearest sister?"

Lucy nodded, "Aida is a Daughter of Eve, like ourselves. She has been sent by Aslan, Sue," she nudged Aida. "Lady Aida, show my sister the pendant," the youngest Queen of Narnia encouraged.

Aida pulled out the pendant and Susan stepped up to stand beside the two young women; and reached out to clasp the gold lion's head, before looking down at Aida with a friendly smile. Her previous stern expression disappearing.

"I'm sorry Lady...Aida is it? I am not usually so curt, madam," Queen Susan linked her arm through Aida's and lead her down the stairs.

"You are most welcome to Cair Paravel, Lady Aida."

Susan walked the shorter woman to a circle of finely carved chairs, set up around a small, white marble table.

Lucy sat on Aida's right as Susan sat down opposite them, sweeping her long skirts gracefully underneath her as she did so.

"Well now, dear Mr Tumnus, I do believe we have some tea prepared, do we not?" Queen Susan addressed a stout fawn; his fairish beard was curled and his blue eyes twinkled merrily.

"We have so madam," Mr Tumnus affirmed, motioning to two nearby dryads; who bowed their red and brown haired heads respectfully, and spun away in a flash of perfumed flowers.

Aida felt slightly dizzy from both the motion of the dryads and the strong, perfumed scent they left behind.

Lucy motioned to the fair haired fawn, "Lady Aida, this is my dearest and oldest Narnian friend, Mr Tumnus. Mr Tumnus, this is Lady Aida Femke of Australia," the young Queen introduced with her sweet, eager manner.

Aida held out her hand and Mr Tumnus took it in both hairy hands and smiled. "Your servant madam. You are a Daughter of Eve? How remarkable. Do you also come from Spare-oom in the land of War-drobe?" He questioned oddly, mentioning a new location for this 'Spare-oom,' the kings and queens said they were originally from.

"I'm afraid not, Mr Tumnus. In my world a 'War-drobe,' is something you store clothing in. You know, like dresses and coats?" Femke explained as a saucer and tea-cup was placed in front of her and filled with tea.

The saucer and tea-cup were made of fine porcelain, with an unusual pattern in blue on white. (Something similar to_ Blue Willow _patterns, but with an almost Turkish design of the buildings.)

Susan stirred her tea thoughtfully with a delicate silver spoon, "I remember calling such a cupboard for clothing items a 'wardrobe' when I was a little girl," she mused. An expression on the eldest Queen of Narnia's face was again eerily familiar to Aida and the Australian lent forward.

"Forgive me, Queen Susan, but...have we ever met before?" Femke questioned the older, dark haired woman.

Queen Susan cocked her head to the side, "I do not believe so, Lady Aida. You have never been to Narnia before, have you? Nor to Spare-oom?"

Aida shook her tightly braided haired head as she leant back on her chair. "No, your highness. It's just...you remind me so much of someone," she revealed. "And I can't think of who it is just now."

Lucy patted Aida's hand, "It is all right. I'm sure it will come back to you soon," she reassured with a bright smile, identical to that of her sister...and as familiar as Susan's.

Aida smiled at Lucy, before picking up a tiny cake with sugared violets on the top and nibbling at it as Susan studied her guest with a curious brow.

"Your clothes are very strange, if I might say so Lady Aida. Shall we see you properly clothed, madam?"

Lucy clasped her hands together, "Oh I thought it would be so much fun to do so ourselves, Susan. Don't you think? We'll have Marina and Deana shorten whatever dresses we think will suit Aida; and we'll all do our hair and our make-up...we'll surprise everyone at dinner!" The youngest Narnian monarch almost squealed in delight at the idea of such fun.

Susan applauded, "What an absolutely splendid idea, dear sister! Let us begin right away." She exclaimed, both her and Lucy getting to their feet and grabbing an skinny, bare arm of Aida's each.

"Mr Tumnus, arrange an elegant feast out on the east balcony gardens. Then send a message to our brother's inviting them to join us."

The middle-aged fawn bowed, "At once, my Lady."

Aida only managed to shove the last of the cake into her mouth as she was all but dragged away by the sister queens. "Don't I have a say in all this?" She mumbled the question –mostly to herself– as they headed in the direction of Queen Susan's boudoir.

Lucy and Susan apparently didn't hear their younger guest's query; or, if they did, they ignored it in their anticipation of the gaiety involved in the opportunity to dress up and entertain their foreign guest.

-xxx-

Aida had been unceremoniously stripped of her brand new go-go dress by a stalwart, old tree-nymph maid of Queen Susan, called Deana.

The care-worn features of the once beautiful, green haired nymph, were set in a frown as she measured Aida. The flowers in Deana hair set off a powerful perfume that made the Australian sneeze violently and nearly fall off of the stool she was standing on.

Lucy and Susan were nearby, sitting cross-legged on a day bed. A pile of underclothes, under-dresses, dresses and mounds of other trinkets and hair pieces, were gathered in front of the two sisters as they sorted through them.

Aida glanced over her shoulders at the monarchs, laughing merrily and chatting. She'd always envied only having brothers, a close relationship with a younger or older sister would have been wonderful.

Deana let out a heavy sigh and brought Aida's attention back to the tree-nymph.

"I will have to alter whatever dresses of their majesties quite a bit, and not just the length, you are far too skinny. Heaven knows how you manage to carry your bust..." the nymph tutted. "...I'm going to have to move the boning and stays."

Aida huffed and folded her arms over her aforementioned breasts, "Blame my Arab-German ancestry. It's not like it's something I can control," she shot back boredly. Deana's mouth actually twitched into a smile; and the tree-nymph tossed Aida a plain white shift as she gathered up her tape measure and scroll.

"Wear this for the moment. I shall take these measurements to the tailors." Deana walked around Aida and over to the queens. "Your majesties have chosen the dresses?"

Lucy looked up from her laughing and nodded, "Yes. We think this dark green dress with this silver undress for tonight," she held up the embroidered gown with a smile. "It will go very well with Lady Aida's hair and complexion."

Susan nodded in agreement, "Take these two dresses in maroon and yellow and the under-dresses in blue and ivory, as well. Lucy and Aida have the same shoe size, so that is a stroke of luck." She held out a pair of heeled, satin silver slippers.

"Do you think these will do, Deana?"

The tree-nymph nodded as she neatly folded the dresses over her arms, "Most charming. The silver combs and silver and green ribbons in her hair, I think."

Aida slipped the white shift over her head, winding the waist cord around herself, and tying it in a bow under her breasts. She stepped off the stool and sat on the wooden object, watching as Deana glided out of the room.

Lucy skipped over to Aida and knelt beside her stool, "Good. Now let us have some fun while we wait on Deana. I was just telling Sue about your magic music box—"

"LP player, a record player if you prefer," Aida corrected with a smile, reaching across to where her satchel had been placed nearby the stool. Opening up the flap, Aida pulled out her portable record player.

Susan knelt down beside her sister to look at the object. "What a pretty colour! How does it work?" She invoked, brushing one of her pale hands over the smooth, blue plastic exterior of the LP player.

Aida reached into her satchel, "Well, first you take one of these," she pulled out a handful of LPs and smaller 45s and placed them on the floor between the sister queens.

"Oh, what lovely pictures," Lucy exclaimed, picking up an LP cover with a swirl of colourful images, including a many imaged picture of a dark skinned man.

Aida tapped the LP cover, "That's Jimi Hendrix. He's a guitar genius... though Clapton's a guitar god. Here's Eric Clapton's band, Cream," she handed another colourful album cover to Lucy.

Susan flipped around a cover with four good looking young men on the cover, they had dark coloured scarves wrapped around their necks. "Who are they? Are they composers? They're very handsome."

Aida smiled broadly, "Four of the loves of my life. They're a band called The Beatles. They're the best band in the world, _everyone _knows that...I've seen them twice live," she smiled in memory. "I love them."

Lucy looked over her sister's shoulder at the cover, "Oh, they _are_ rather handsome bards...which one do you think looks the most handsome, Sue?"

Susan furrowed her brow in thought, then tapped the high-cheeked boned young man, staring out of the cover with deep brown, soulful eyes. "This bard right here. He has such a lovely expression and beautiful eyes."

Aida chuckled, "That's George Harrison, he's my favourite too. That man there is John Lennon, he's...interesting to say the least. The baby-faced one is Paul McCartney, he's just gotten married, (they're all married.) And the man there with the huge blue eyes is good old Ringo." She pointed out with a smile.

"George looks a lot like my boyfriend...well I suppose _you'd_ call him my lover, Simon Halberd."

Susan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she put down the album. "You have a lover back on Earth, Lady Aida? Halberd...that is a very noble name," she shrugged her shoulders.

"Lucy and I have many suitors, but not one has been the right man just yet for either of us. What is Sir Halberd like, Lady Aida?"

Aida smiled in thought, "Simon? He's...wonderful. Sweet, kind... I call him my _chivalrous knight_," she pulled at the threads in the tassels of her shift tie. "I do miss him a lot. I wish he was here."

Lucy patted Aida's shoulder, "It is all right. We will do our best to make you feel at home while you are here. Would you like to play one of your music devices?" She invited with a sympathetic smile.

Aida nodded, "Sure, I'll put on one of the Beatles latest..." she trailed off, thinking perhaps it was better to start off with something a bit tamer then_ Sgt Peppers_. (Thank God she'd left the _White album_ back at Simon's place, because the double album was far too heavy to take.)

"...well actually, let's start with one of the earlier 45s. They're the smaller albums, see?" Aida lifted up a forty five of _I feel fine/She's a woman_, and lifted up the cover of her LP player.

Slipping out the thin, black vinyl disk from its cover, Aida removed the _Hey Jude_ 45 and replaced it with _I feel fine/She's a woman _on the A side. As Susan and Lucy curiously watched, Aida lifted up the needle and placed it on the edge of the vinyl disk.

After a brief white noise from the speakers, then the famous first use of feedback from a guitar on a recording shot out and Susan covered her ears; only pulling her hands back down when the guitar rift began, backed by rhythmatic drumming.

_Baby's good to me, you know she's happy as can be, you know she said so… _A male voice began singing, before he was joined by two other voices

_I'm in love with her and I feel fine_.

Aida jumped up and started to dance, twisting from side to side and swinging her arms, singing along to the lyrics.

"...you know she tells me all the time, you know she said so," Aida reached over and pulled Lucy to her feet, swinging her from side to side to show her how to twist. Their bare feet slipping on the polished wood of the floor as they bounced around.

Susan jumped up to join in the impromptu dancing, all three young women laughing as they jumped around the room to the song. The two queens giggling as Aida showed them her swinging dance moves.

_...I'm so glad, that she's my little girl. (Whoo.) _

_She's so glad,( ooh,) she's telling all the world..._

Soon the Narnia queens were keeping up with the dance steps Aida demonstrated, doing the swim motions and twisting to-and-fro, with more grace than professional go-go dancers in the London clubs.

When the song finished, they collapsed onto the cushion covered area beneath arranged under a bay window in a fit of giggles, like they were half their age.

Susan pushed back her dark hair from her eyes, "Oh, I haven't laughed so much in such a long time, thank-you Aida. The way you showed us how to dance to that music...it's wonderful!

"And what sort of magic causes it to be recorded with lyrics on those thin, black circular items?" The eldest Queen of Narnia invoked.

Aida explained how the music was recorded and transferred to vinyl, that it was machines and not magic. But Lucy and Susan didn't look convinced, and went back over to the record player and albums to inspect the 'music-box,' further.

The young Australian woman sighed and flopped back on the silk cushions, putting her hands behind her head.

It was going to take a lot to convince anyone here that Earth didn't have any magic...maybe magic existed here, but technology was the real magic back on Earth.

-xxx-

Edmund was leaning out over the stone railing of the balcony, (built to look out upon the eastern sea,) gazing out at the twilight sky, when Peter strolled out on the balcony and inspected the feasting table.

Soft dark blue cushions with golden embroidery had been laid out upon the carved marble chairs. The long sand-stone table the heavy chairs were pulled up to, was laden with covered foods, patters of cheese and olives; and colourful bowls of fruit and salads.

Several servants were still floating about the tables, adjusting everything and lighting small, cream candles, floating beside fragrant flowers in sculpted vases filled with water. They all turned and bowed deeply to the High King as he past them by.

"Are the girls arrived with our guest yet, Edmund?" Peter asked, looking around the balcony, which was surrounded by brightly coloured banners and a string of lit lanterns from Terebinthia.

Edmund glanced over his cloak covered shoulder and pointed down the flight of stone stairs that curled their way down to the Eastern Gazebo.

"I heard them giggling and talking down there. I think it's best to wait for them. I don't wish to get roped into another one of Susan's lectures come womanly advice, before I've had anything to eat. My constitution couldn't bear it, again."

The two Narnian kings were both crowned and dressed similarly; but Edmund wore blue tights (as opposed to Peter's golden tights,) and a darker blue doublet with silver thread and embroidery.

Peter wore a deep, high collared red doublet with gold embroidery; and his maroon half cloak was fastened with a thin chain of lion heads across his chest. While Edmund's silvery blue half-cloak was tossed over his right shoulder and across his chest, (pined to do so by a single broach of silver, shaped like one of the great oaks in the western woods.)

The High King sided up to his brother and lent his back against the stone balustrade.

Folding his arms across his broad chest, Peter took in a deep breath of the sea-breeze that fluttered the bright banners, and blew aside both Pevensie brothers below ear length hair.

"I was just thinking of Terebinthia," Peter spoke up. "We're due to travel there in a few days for the tournament games. The voyage should take a few weeks," he looked over at Edmund serious expression.

"Have you heard from a certain Lady of Galma?"

Edmund nodded, his bearded features parted in a small smile. "Alaine has written to me. She'll be attending the tournaments on Terebinthia, with her father and cousins." He looked over at Peter.

"Which brings me to a question I've been wanting to ask of you, brother." Edmund began, his older brother's blue eyes remained on him as the Just King turned around to face the High King.

"I'm your brother, and I love you well. But I'm going to be frank. Are you interested in women at all, Peter?"

The elder Pevensie adjusted his gold crown with a deep-set scowl, "What a thing to ask of me, brother. Of course I like women—"

"I never said you didn't _like_ women, Pete," Edmund interrupted mildly, folding his arms over his chest in a mimicry of Peter's stance. "I said you don't have an _interest_ in them. I often see you dance with maids, walk them through the gardens, and then farewell them quickly."

Peter shrugged his mighty shoulders and looked down at his shining black boots, "I have yet not met a woman yet who wishes to do more than that–"

Edmund snorted, his dark eyes keenly set upon his eldest sibling. "Bully, my lord brother. Pure lies. You are the High King of Narnia; and almost twenty-seven—"

"I know my age," Peter interrupted with a hiss. "Your point in all this?"

The younger King rubbed his bearded chin, "Well, that we are not children or youths anymore. I am worried you will not have an interest in taking a bride at all, if you do not take a lover. Or at least let the noble ladies of Archenland, Galma, Terebinthia and...well even bloody Calormen will do…that you're interested in them!"

Peter dropped his arms in frustration walked over to the table and poured himself out a goblet of wine. Taking a sip, he sighed around the sweet beverage. "I get what you are insinuating, brother. Battles keep coming and there is no one to bear my heir in case of my demise. But you or the girls might marry yet and—"

"That is not entirely it either," Edmund interrupted as he marched over to his brother's side and put his hand on Peter's shoulder. "Peter, I see it, the girls see it. You need a close companion; you need a bride to help you exercise the pain and demons of war, and help you shoulder the burden of your High Kingship."

Peter took a larger sip of his wine, "I have you and the girls."

Edmund grabbed his taller brother's shoulders and spun him around to face him.

"The girls are young women now, Pete. How long till they get married? If I marry Alaine she is the only child of Duke Sturm, I might inherit the Galma throne and then what? We leave you here alone?"

King Peter looked wordlessly at his brother, the deep wisdom in Edmund's words got to him. The elder Pevensie knew what the younger was trying to do, Edmund was trying to help him. But still, Peter didn't quite know how to respond.

They were interrupted by a flurry of heeled shoe-steps and they turned to look over at their sisters.

Susan was clad in a deep blue gown, with long bell-sleeves revealing a transparent, embroidered cream under-dress; the embroidery on the under-dress matched the tiny gold embroidery on her fitted bodice. Her hair was braided into one long braid at the back of her head and dotted with fresh daffodils to match the golden crown on her head.

Lucy was dressed in a dark yellow gown, (bordering on orange,) with a fitted bodice with embroidery of green vines and white and pink roses. Her undress was a soft pink colour, revealed over the cut on her bust and through flower shaped cut-outs along the long, fitted sleeves. Lucy's delicate silver crown was perched atop her loose hair, pulled back in a small braid from her face; and a garland of fresh jasmine wound its way around the braid.

Peter took note that Edmund was right, even his baby sister had developed a womanly form practically overnight.

Now it wasn't only Susan the Pevensie brothers had to mind when it came to having many suitors, it would soon be Lucy with just as many.

Lucy rushed over and embraced Peter tightly, pulling back with a concerned smile.

"What, such a sour expression on thine face, dear brother? We have a guest to entertain. Be not unhappy, but your joyful self, please? For our sakes and that of the guest sent by Aslan?"

Peter lifted up his sister's chin with his left hand, and smiled down at her, "I will try and speak of only light matters at our dinner." He looked around as Susan walked over to join her siblings. "Where is the Lady Aida?"

Susan pointed down to the conservatory as a faun handed her a golden goblet of wine. "In the Eastern Gazebo. Mr Tumnus is telling Aida the story of how we came to Narnia and saved her from the White Witch and endless winter."

Lucy raised her hand, "I'll go fetch her— "

"No, sit you down, dear sister. Edmund and myself shall fetch the lady." Peter interceded, kissing his sisters hands with a thoughtful expression before motioning to Edmund; who bowed to his sisters before turning on his heel and following their older brother.

The Narnian Kings stepped briskly down the winding stairs before reaching the stone carved, arched doorway of the gazebo.

Carved images of Aslan surrounded by talking beasts loomed above the entrance, and Peter couldn't help but lift his gaze to the solemn, carved Lord of Narnia. Wondering to himself why Aslan had sent this stranger to their land and what her arrival from a world so similar to Spare-oom meant?

Peter lowered his gaze as he and Edmund walked into the elegant gazebo and heard the soft, familiar tones of Mr Tumnus. The faun himself was seated on a carved chair in the middle of the black and white tiled floor, surrounded by piles of silk cushions; on which a feminine figure –with long reddish-brown hair in waves– had her back to them. She was resting her cheek on her hand, as she reclined in front of Mr Tumnus.

"...and thus Peter was crowned the Magnificent and his siblings made also king and queens respectfully. Aslan left to visit other worlds and has since been coming and going..." Tumnus realised he had more listeners and looked up to see the two Kings of Narnia standing nearby.

The reclining figure on the cushions turned her head and Peter raised an eyebrow. The young woman appeared to be the uncouth, half-dressed maid who had whistled at him and yelled out encouragements from the training lawn fence; but her appearance was now vastly different.

Aida's vibrant red, braided hair was now down, save for one braid running across the top of her hair, a circular wreath of daffodils and daisies was perched atop her aforementioned hair. She was clad in a dark green, heavily embroidered gown, with split sleeves revealing a silvery, satin undress.

The strange young woman's curvy upper was much more defined by the fitted bodice and Edmund took in a sharp breath; causing Peter to force himself not to fall over laughing at the expression on Ed's face.

Peter dipped his head slightly down to Edmund's level, "Lady Alaine, dear brother. And this maid has a lover, remember yourself," the High King whispered. Edmund sent him a withering glare, but nodded resignedly.

As they approached the waiting duo in the middle of the gazebo, Aida rolled over and whistled accordingly at the Pevensie brothers and applauded to their confusion.

"Nice outfits boys. Dig the tights, very groovy...especially yours, High King. I have a pair just like those ones back home, we must have the same tailor, Shiny." Aida grinned mercilessly and hugged a cushion to her chest.

Mr Tumnus snorted and hid his laughter behind his hand, Edmund just outwardly chuckled as Peter looked annoyed down at the young woman, who just kept grinning airily back with deliberate amusement.

_Decent clothing or not, this woman is a nuisance. _"I doubt it, madam." Peter offered his arm, "come. Edmund and I are here to escort you to where our lady sisters are awaiting our presence at the balcony table."

Aida raised an eyebrow and jumped to her silver slippered feet, "Alrighty then," she brushed past the surprised looking High King and picked up her nearby satchel. Aida turned and smiled at Mr Tumnus.

"Are you coming, Mr Tumnus? You have not yet finished telling me about Aslan," she held out her hand and the stout faun gave an apologetic smile to his monarchs, before trotting over and linking his arm with Aida's.

Peter stood watching as the Australian woman left (arm in arm with Mr Tumnus, chatting away merrily,) bitting his lip with unhidden annoyance; and Edmund put his hand on his brother's arm.

"Peace, dear brother. She comes from another culture, perhaps where chivalry doesn't exist between men and women anymore," Edmund soothed.

"Bully!" Peter said suddenly, pointing after Aida. "That maid dislikes me and has no respect for authority. She has called me 'Shiny' twice today, and once when she knew who I was!" He kicked a stray cushion and went marching out of the gazebo.

Edmund rubbed his eyes, _I haven't seen him this angry in years. But he's hardly been level-headed in his whole life. _"I hope Lady Aida doesn't completely set him off," he mumbled, adjusting his cloak as he moved to follow his cursing brother.

* * *

**The next chapter will be up in a couple of days.**

**(I hope Aida doesn't offend too much. I'm a great disliker of many OC characters in fanfiction; and I try to avoid them whenever I can because of the fear they'll turn very Mary Sue. I promise everything will make sense soon and believe me, this isn't the place for Mills and Boons.)**

**Let me know what you think.**


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